Marui Group and Samurai Incubate to Hold Pitch Event! Call for Participating Companies Now Open!

Event Features

This event is a program in which companies are invited to submit business ideas for solving social issues by utilizing Marui Group's assets and know-how, and those that pass the selection process will pitch their ideas.

If the business idea is selected on the day of the Pitch Event, the following benefits will be considered: 1) Marui Group will consider collaboration and investment, 2) Samurai Incubate will consider investment, and 3) test marketing using Marui Modi stores and the Epos Card customer base will be considered.

Background of Initiatives

The Marui Group has established "Impact" as its goal, which clearly defines the direction in which it aims to go, and is striving to both realize this goal and achieve profits. Impact" consists of the three themes of (1) creating the future together with future generations, (2) creating individual "happiness" together, and (3) creating a co-creation ecosystem. We believe that "co-creation" through open innovation with startups that have unique ideas and technologies is indispensable for realizing "impact.

Samurai Incubate invests in and supports the growth of startup companies in their early stages of business, both in Japan and overseas, through the funds it manages. The fund not only invests in and supports the growth of startups, but also collaborates with companies that have invested in the fund by utilizing their unique assets. This event was first held jointly by the two companies in February 2021, and will now be held for the fourth time.

Case Studies of Collaborations and Investments

The total number of applicants for the past three rounds has reached 122 companies, and the total number of adopted applications has reached 12 companies.
Based on the business ideas proposed on the day of the Pitch Event, we will consider subsequent collaboration and investment with the selected companies, and we have already achieved collaboration and investment that originated from the Pitch Event.

<Example of investment from the Marui Group
Herald Boney Corporation (1st adopted company)

Herald Bonnie is a start-up company that aims to transform and expand the welfare field with the mission of "Be different, be brilliant. Herald Bonnie is a start-up company that aims to transform and expand the field of welfare with the mission of "Be Different. The "Herald Bonnie Card," one of the co-creation initiatives, is a credit card that advances society every time it is used. 0.1% of the points earned according to the amount spent will be donated to the creative activities of artists with intellectual disabilities, their promotion, and welfare organizations.

News Release
Marui Co-Creation Pitch Adopted Company Herald Bonnie Forms Capital/Business Alliance to "Start Co-Creation" to Advance Society".
URL :. https://www.0101maruigroup.co.jp/pdf/settlement/21_1101/21_1101_1.pdf

LINDA PESA Corporation (3rd adopted company)

LINDA PESA has developed and deployed a business management application in Tanzania, Africa, to visualize small business operations under the vision of "Opportunities for Everyone. By combining LINDA PESA's services with Marui Group's expertise in "building credit with customers," the two companies will collaborate to provide financial inclusion to small businesses in Africa.

News Release
"Winner of the 3rd "Marui Co-Creation Pitch" Excellence Award for investment in LINDA PESA."
URL: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003124.000003860.html

<Example of investment from Samurai Incubate
Sozi Corporation (2nd selected company)

Sozi is developing three products to build a creator ecosystem with the mission of "creating the soil in which diverse creations born on the Internet can grow.

1) "pib", a creative illustration application to enjoy meeting with illustrations

(2) "OFUSE" supports creators' activities through fan letters and monthly memberships
(3) "POTOFU" portfolio and profile creation service for creators

News Release
"Sozi to Support Creators' Sustained Creative Activities."
URL :. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000224.000014738.html

Outline of the 4th Meeting

Name: "Marui Co-Creation Pitch #04

Main theme of the call: Businesses that solve social issues that you would like to realize through collaboration with the Marui Group

Sub-themes: Business ideas that fall into one of the following categories (1) to (4) are invited.
(1) Businesses and services that enable a decarbonized society and innovation in sustainable consumption and lifestyles
(2) Businesses and services that support each individual's "likes," "individuality," and "health
(3) Businesses and services that can expand financial inclusion domestically and internationally
4) Businesses and services utilizing new technologies such as digital

Subject to recruitment:
(1) A wide range of start-up companies from seed stage to rater stage
2) Those who can participate in real life on the day of the pitch event.
　*Scheduled to be held at Marui Group headquarters (Nakano, Tokyo)
(iii) Those who agree to the live-streaming of this event and the archiving of the event through Marui Group's owned media, etc.

Schedule:
[Application Period] Tuesday, July 18, 2023 - Thursday, August 31, 2023
Pre-briefing sessions will be held on August 4 (Friday), August 18 (Friday), and August 24 (Thursday).
[Selection Period] September 4, 2023 (Monday) - October 17, 2023 (Tuesday)
*Screening of documents and interviews will be conducted.
*Final results will be notified on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

[Briefing for Speakers] Monday, November 6, 2023
[Pre-mentoring period] Thursday, November 9 - Tuesday, December 5, 2023
[Pitch Event] Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Recruitment website (external link) URL :.https://maruicocreationpitch.samurai-incubate.asia/

Outline of Past Events

[1st
"Marui Group and Samurai Incubate jointly hold their first pitch event! Marui Co-Creation Pitch 2021"
Four companies were selected for the "Excellence Award" at the "
URL :. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002597.000003860.html

[2nd
"Marui Co-Creation Pitch #02," a pitch event jointly hosted by Marui Group and Samurai Incubate
Four "Awards of Excellence" companies were selected."
URL :. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002815.000003860.html

[3rd
"Marui Co-Creation Pitch #03," a pitch event jointly hosted by the Marui Group and Samurai Incubate
Four "Awards of Excellence" companies were selected."
URL :. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003080.000003860.html